Under the direction of the Vice President of Student Services, the Director of Financial Aid plans, organizes and directs the college's financial aid programs; assures compliance with a variety of state and federal guidelines and regulations; supervises and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; supervises related programs. The Director of Financial Aid administers the financial aid program for the college campus and ensures compliance for the district when reporting state and federal programs. The Director must demonstrate full knowledge of financial aid programs to determine student eligibility, the ability to package and determine loan amounts, and the ability to audit balances and generate data transmittals to and from the College and funding agencies. The director must have the ability to interpret and implement state and federal regulations.

 

• Directs the day-to-day operations of the Financial Aid Office, with a student-centered attitude toward effective and efficient delivery of services. Coordinates services with related programs and departments such as EOPS at the State and Federal level.

• Implement high level of customer service within the department.

• Plans, organizes, develops, and directs the federal, state and local student aid programs, allocates financial aid resources and recommends disbursements. Directs financial aid intake, need analysis, and award processing, including the oversight of financial aid processes.

• Ensures that student eligibility, award packaging, calculations of unmet need, LOA reporting, satisfactory academic progress, enrollment verification status at time of disbursement and any admission of students to other institutions are all being adhered to per the required regulatory agencies.

• Directs staff to ensure that student dependency status; California residence; U.S. Citizenship status; cost of attendance; expected family contributions; social security number; enrollment status, undergraduate student status; meeting satisfactory academic progress; not in default or owing a refund on federal or state grant and notification of awards are properly being executed within the regulatory guidelines.

• Assures absolute compliance with state and federal regulations, laws and reporting requirements related to assigned financial aid programs.

• Design and provide services for technology oriented customer service.

• Aligns goals if the department to the management of core financial counseling services and supports departmental implementation of college mission and strategic planning initiatives.

• Integrates financial aid and business office functions using the current MIS system to create greater efficiency and service.

• Manages financial aid quality assurance efforts for the district to ensure quality service to students.

• Plans, organizes and implements long and short-term systems and activities designed to develop financial aid programs; prepares the annual application for funds.

• Provides technical expertise and information to college community regarding financial assistance programs, policies and procedures; counsels and assists students applying for financial aid.

• Directs the preparation and maintenance of a variety of narrative and statistical reports, records and files related to expenditures, student financial aid records and required accounting records; assures confidentiality of information as appropriate. Market the importance of the financial aid function to our communities internal and external.

• Supervises and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; models and ensures a customer-service approach; interviews and selects employees and recommends transfer, reassignment, termination and disciplinary actions.

• Plans, coordinates and arranges for on-going development and appropriate training of staff as required to maintain the necessary professional development for the financial aid functions as well any other area where skills are necessary to keep staff up to date with the changes in technology and federal regulations.

• Have the ability and responsibility to enter, wire and receive applications and loan information using the network and federal processor.

• Develops strong teamwork ethic within department; contributes positively to student services leadership team; maintains effective working relationships with students, staff, faculty, administrators and community agencies.

• Develops and prepares the annual budget for the department; analyzes and reviews budgetary and financial data; controls and authorizes expenditures according to established guidelines.

• Reviews student files in difficult cases to determine financial aid eligibility; financial aid appeals and evaluates special circumstances and exercises appropriate professional discretion in applying standard policies.

• Supervise and direct the student loan programs for the college.

• Participates in annual financial and programmatic audits including establishment of documentation of testing and other best practices in preparation of regular reviews.

• Attends state, regional and federal conferences and workshops to maintain current knowledge of financial aid programs, regulations and requirements.

• Participates in and provides leadership for committees and departmental meetings.

• Serves as liaison with WHC Coalinga Athletic Department and coordinates the dissemination of individualized financial aid information and general financial aid information and general financial aid policies to coaches and student athletes.

• Provide tracking, reporting and interfaces to support smooth coordination of athletic, federal, state and institutional aid.

• Works with the area administrator to coordinate, development annual outreach plans, and financial aid in-reach and outreach workshops and community presentations in Spanish and English.

• Participates in the development of strategies for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid programs including recommendation of packaging strategies and policies based on expert level knowledge of state, federal and institutional regulations and priorities.

• Develops and implements a loan default prevention plan

• Serves as primary contact for Admissions, other campus partners, student groups, and external requests for outreach, yield, and training activities related to financial aid.

• Coordinates appropriate staff to participate in outreach and follow up with customers for quality control.

• Develops trainings and tailors content for appropriate audiences including financial literacy materials and other student financial support issues.

• Develops and implements a loan default prevention plan.

• Performs related duties as may be assigned by the area administrator.

• Assist faculty and others, where appropriate, in the development of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and the determination of their effectiveness in helping students achieve their desired learning outcomes. In addition, provide leadership for the development of SLOs within their program areas of responsibility.

• Bilingual preferred (but not required).

 

Requires in-depth knowledge of the regulations, rules, and institutional policies and processes relating to financial aid and the connections to admissions, registration, and accounting. Requires in-depth knowledge of federal and institutional satisfactory academic progress policies. Requires in-depth knowledge of Federal and State regulations, policies and procedures relating to awarding and administering financial aid. Requires in-depth knowledge of regulations and institutional policies and relevant to admissions, registration, accounts payable, and financial aid practices. Requires knowledge of and skills with office policies, procedures, and equipment, including the use of personal computers to access student information databases, word processing, and spreadsheet applications. Requires a working knowledge of transcripts and satisfactory academic progress. Requires advanced skills at working with specialized databases used in financial aid. Requires well-developed human relation skills to convey technical concepts to customers in individual and workshop settings, and exercise patience. Requires sufficient language skill to prepare written correspondence used in external communications. Requires sufficient math skills to compute principal, interest, sums, percent, and ratios.

 Requires a demonstrated political acumen in higher education setting. Requires an advanced knowledge of techniques for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid. Requires an advanced knowledge of techniques for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid. Requires a student centered, results oriented customer service philosophy and ability to instill same in others. Requires problem identification, critical thinking, and problem solving skills; judgment and decision-making ability. Requires an advanced quantitative analysis and resource management skills. Requires organizational skills and ability to prioritize work for self and others to meet deadlines.

 

Requires the ability to independently perform all of the duties of the position with efficiency and effectiveness. Requires the ability to access and enter, import, and export data to and from computer-aided student financial aid applications including the ability to update special tables.   Requires the ability to apply financial needs analysis methodology. Requires the ability to analyze technical and complex information and documents and make assessments according to complex policies, procedures, and mandated regulations. Requires the ability to impart technical and detailed information through one-on-one or group presentations. Requires the ability to perform data entry and database management duties and other general record keeping and file maintenance duties. Requires the ability to communicate both formally and informally with a wide range of contacts both inside and outside the College setting. Requires the ability to perform assignments on varying work schedules. Requires the ability to train, supervise, and evaluate staff. Maintain effective relationships with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community agencies.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed indoors where minimal safety considerations exist.

Office environment.

Constant interruptions.

Driving a vehicle to conduct work within and outside of the district.

Some weekend and evening work.

 

Contact with dissatisfied or abusive individuals.

Sensitivity to and an understanding of a diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

Requires a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and at least two (2) years of supervisory experience in student services, business services or a related area. Financial Aid experience preferred.

 

Requires a valid driver's license.